Saturday Fulham Stuff (16/03/19)...

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International Call-Ups

Details of the Fulham players who have received call-ups from their respective countries ahead of the upcoming international period.

Senior Squad

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier & Friendly

Floyd Ayité (Togo) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Ryan Babel (Netherlands) – European Championship Qualifiers

Ibrahima Cissé (Guinea) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Mattias Kait (Estonia) – European Championship Qualifier & Friendly

Neeskens Kebano (Congo) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier

Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia) – Friendly & European Championship Qualifier

Håvard Nordtveit (Norway) – European Championship Qualifiers

Tim Ream (United States) – Friendlies

Jean Michaël Seri (Ivory Coast) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier & Friendly

Under-21s

Ryan Sessegnon (England) – Friendlies

Under-19s

Steven Sessegnon (England) – Euro Finals Elite Round Qualifiers

Under-18s

Terry Ablade (Finland) – Friendlies

Luca Ashby-Hammond (England) – UAE Sport Chain Cup

Cody Drameh (England) – UAE Sport Chain Cup

George Wickens (England) – UAE Sport Chain Cup

All call-ups are subject to the player's fitness. Any additional call-ups will be announced on fulhamfc.com in due course.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/march/15/international-call-ups

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All the reasons Liverpool can't wait to finish off Fulham...

Fulham grudge
Can I just go on record to state that I would rather seen United win than Fulham and I genuinely hope we stuff 'em this weekend. I'll be singing "going down" with gusto as I stand in the Putney End. Remember, this is a club and set of fans who supported a known paedophile – even erected a f*cking statue of him in their ground

There's plenty of things to dislike – Wetched Woy, Paul F*cking Konchesky, sh*t ground and more recently that stupid programme article which was as funny as syphilis.

I hope they never darken the Premier League again.
Gregory Whitehead, LFC



https://www.football365.com/news/all-the-reasons-liverpool-can-wait-to-finish-off-fulham

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Jurgen Klopp confirms injury blow for Liverpool ahead of the clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage

Liverpool travel to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday in a crucial game in the race for the Premier League title

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Jordan Henderson will not be available for the Reds' match with Fulham in the Premier League this weekend.

The England international went off injured in Liverpool's win at Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek after picking up a knock in the early exchanges, with Fabinho introduced as his replacement inside the first 15 minutes of the game.

The early word from Jurgen Klopp's side was that the former Sunderland midfielder had rolled his ankle, which could lead to a long-term absence, and that he may be unable to feature against Scott Parker's side this weekend.

And Klopp has confirmed that Henderson will miss the game with Fulham at Craven Cottage as he provided the latest injury news at his pre-match press conference this morning (Friday).

"With Hendo we don't know - it's serious enough to rule him out for the weekend," said Klopp.

"The international break will hopefully be long enough to bring him back.

"It is to do with his ankle. It's the best it can be but still not good enough, it's okay though."

Klopp also provided updates on Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are both closing in on returns to action.

"We have to see if Naby can train today, he'll come in later for checks and it was positive so hopefully it stays positive when he goes outside."

"Ox will be 100 per cent fit after the international break."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/klopp-confirms-injury-blow-liverpool-15978349

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Fulham's Ryan Babel says Virgil van Dijk has a weakness – and only he knows it

Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has suggested that he knows a way to get at Reds rock Virgil van Dijk, but nobody else in the Premier League has worked it out yet.

Babel will face his compatriot at Craven Cottage on Sunday as Fulham aim to give themselves a glimmer of hope in the survival battle and dent Liverpool's title bid.

The Dutchman played at Anfield between 2007 and 2011 after joining from Ajax for £11.5m as a highly-rated 20-year-old.

Now 32, Babel hooked up with Fulham on a short-term contract in January and has played eight Premier League games for the Cottagers, scoring once.

The ex-Besiktas man lines up alongside Van Dijk for Holland – and thinks he knows a way to exploit the player many believe to be the world's best centre-back.

"Virgil has definitely developed over the past few years," Babel told The Times. "I think he can get better by 30 per cent. I still feel he plays on 70 per cent. He can do much more. He can be fast if he wants.

"He does have a weakness, I don't want to say what it is. I don't think in the Premier League anyone has made that aware yet."

In the same interview, Babel also admitted regret at the speed of his Liverpool departure which didn't allow him to bid farewell to Reds.

"I left Liverpool and people had to find out through the press, there was no goodbye, not even to my team-mates," he said. "I'm positive about getting applause on Sunday."



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/ryan-babel-virgil-van-dijk-has-a-weakness-liverpool-fulham

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Premier League & FA Cup predictions: Lawro v Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard

Wolves are enjoying an impressive first season back in the Premier League, but can they cap it with a trip to Wembley?

That is the prize on offer in their FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, which is live on BBC One at 19:55 GMT, with Millwall versus Brighton the other BBC televised tie, at 14:00 GMT on Sunday.

BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson said: "Wolves have had some great results against the top six this season, but United will not just be thinking they can win at Molineux, they will be thinking they can win the whole thing."

Lawro is pitting his wits against a different guest for each round of this season's FA Cup, and his opponent this time is Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard, whose weekly show is part of the station's legendary Friday night dance line-up.

Leeds fan Danny thinks it is "almost impossible" to predict this weekend's scores, but he has given it a go.

* Away team to win on penalties, after extra-time. There are no replays in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

British cyclist Laura Kenny, who will ride in the Six Day Series in Manchester from 22-24 March, has also predicted this weekend's five Premier League games.

"I did this before and I was terrible," Kenny, who supports Spurs, told BBC Sport. "I got them all completely wrong."

Kenny actually did better than she remembered when she took on Lawro in August 2016. She got five correct results, with no exact scores to end up with 50 points, although Lawro did beat her with 140 points.

LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
Fulham v Liverpool (14:15 GMT, Premier League)

I was in Munich to see Liverpool beat Bayern on Wednesday and the Reds were excellent in the second half. That was as good as they have been all season, in the way they managed the game.

This is the last game before the international break and, if Liverpool win, they go back to the top of the table.

That is a great incentive if they are tired from their efforts in Germany, and the message from the manager will be along the lines of 'I want one last hit from you'.

I just cannot see Fulham getting anything against them, because they are not good enough defensively to keep them out.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Danny's prediction: 0-1

Kenny's prediction: 1-4



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47562791

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Hammers eye Fulham striker

West Ham will move quickly in a bid to snap up Aleksander Mitrovic if  the Cottagers are relegated at the end of the season.

Former Hammer Scott Parker is currently trying to steer the south west London outfit to safety but should he fail the Hammers will move straight in on the 24 year old.

The club look dead and buried on 17 points but Mitrovic has managed to score 10 of the 28 goals they have managed in his 30 appearances.

However, the Irons won't find it cheap prising him away as he signed a deal until 2023 when joining the Cottagers from Newcastle after a season's loan from Newcastle.

He cost around £15 million and the Hammers can expect to face a demand of double that although in reality a fee of around £25 million would probably see the Hammers get their man.

As reported earlier they see Celta Vigo's Maxi Gomez as a priority target and he could become available for as little as £22 million.



https://www.claretandhugh.info/hammers-eye-fulham-striker/

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Parker believes Fulham can pull off great escape

The Cottagers are 13 points adrift of Premier League safety.

Caretaker boss Scott Parker believes Fulham can defy Premier League history and retain their place in the top flight.

No club has ever recovered from being 13 points adrift of safety at this stage of a Premier League campaign.

A Carlos Tevez-inspired West Ham survived having been 10 points behind in 2006-07 but Fulham will have to eclipse that achievement to pull off their own great escape.

Parker, Fulham's third manager of the season after Slavisa Jokanovic and Claudio Ranieri, already appears to have an impossible task on his hands – one made harder by the fact he comes up against title chasers Liverpool and Manchester City in the next two games.

But the 38-year-old is hanging onto the belief he can turn things around and complete a miraculous job of stopping Fulham dropping straight back down to the Sky Bet Championship.

"I believe we can stay up," he said.

"In this league I see the quality in this team but I know and understand it will be very difficult.

"We have two tough games coming up and when you look at how many games we've won and how many we need to win I understand it will be very difficult. It's cliche but while there are still points... it's possible.

"Someone texted me and named a few teams who have got out a situation like ours and you mentioned one there.

"For sure one result can springboard and go from there and you'd like to think that could be the case."

Liverpool are the visitors to Craven Cottage on Sunday and, while many will predict a victory for Jurgen Klopp's men, Parker said his players share his view they can escape their current plight.

Asked if the squad still felt they could stay up, Parker replied: "I think they do.

"We've seen a big upturn daily in the players in the way they're training and I believe their standards have gone up tenfold.

"I've been in this position as a player where you have the doubts sometimes, but the message stays the same, if we play the way we want we can cause an upset and we can get points.

"It (playing Liverpool) is a massive challenge, a team that are fighting at the right end of the table in terms of going for the championship, one full of individual quality that is up there with the world's best – a fantastic team and a big challenge for us as a team but one we're looking forward to."



http://sport.bt.com/news/parker-believes-fulham-can-pull-off-great-escape-S11364345467863

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Scott Parker says one win can kick-start Fulham revival
Watch Fulham vs Liverpool on Super Sunday from 1.30pm

Scott Parker believes one win could "kick-start" Fulham's bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.

Fulham are 19th in the table and 13 points from safety with just eight games remaining and a 3-1 defeat to Leicester in their last match edged them closer to the Championship.

"There's only so many more weeks I can go on saying I believe we can stay up, but one result can kick-start something and we have the quality to try and do that," Parker said.

"When you look at how many games we need to win I understand it will be very difficult but while there's still points it's possible.

"We have some very good footballers and we need to start getting the best out of them. The attitudes and standards are rising on a daily basis. They have a chance at the weekend to prove how good they are."

Fulham have lost their last six games in the league and face Liverpool at Craven Cottage on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.

The Cottagers have also lost all ten matches against the top-six teams this season, including a 2-0 defeat at Anfield in November, and Parker was full of praise for Jurgen Klopp's side.

"It's going to be a massive challenge," he added. "Liverpool is a team that is fighting at the right end, in terms of fighting for the championship.

"They're pretty deadly with the pace and the power they have which is frightening. They have a top class manager and have done very well. They're a team full of individual quality and are up there with the world's best."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11666202/scott-parker-says-one-win-can-kick-start-fulham-revival

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Liverpool dealt injury blow ahead of Fulham fixture

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will miss this weekend's trip to Craven Cottage and is a doubt for England's Euro 2020 qualifiers this month.

The midfielder was taken off early on during our Champions League clash with Bayern Munich this week, but it seems like it may have been more than just a precaution.

Jurgen Klopp doesn't expect to have Henderson back until after the international break. "With Hendo we make further assessment and it's serious enough probably to rule him out of the weekend and the international break will be long enough hopefully to bring him back," he told Liverpoolfc.com at his pre-match conference.

"It's a little one with the ankle, how it looked in the first place. It was the best scan we could get, I would say, but still not good enough. Not good but okay," he added.

Henderson has been playing some good football in the last couple of months and the squad will miss him this weekend. It's almost certain Fabinho will reclaim his spot in the team.

Some fans aren't so keen on the England international but his season began to turn around following a gut busting performance at Old Trafford in February.

England play two Euro 2020 qualifiers this month against Czech Republic and Montenegro and the Liverpool captain was set to feature, but it now looks as if he's a doubt for Gareth Southgate.

Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to be Liverpool's solo representative for England this time around.



https://www.empireofthekop.com/2019/03/15/liverpool-dealt-injury-blow-ahead-of-fulham-fixture/

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Fulham: Parker has to start Steven Sessegnon on Saturday

It's been a woeful season to be a Fulham supporter, hasn't it?

With only four wins to their name in the Premier League this season and their club now thirteen points from safety, it is almost certain that the Cottagers will be heading straight back down to the Championship after achieving promotion last year.

In a campaign which started with a great deal of promise at Craven Cottage, former boss Slavisa Jokanovic's disastrous signings in the summer transfer window seemingly destroyed all the harmony and togetherness in the squad.

The Serbian was sacked in November and was replaced by the tinker-man Claudio Ranieri who didn't fare much better, winning three and losing eleven of his games in charge of Fulham before leaving the club last month.

Now with former player Scott Parker in caretaker charge of the Cottagers, it is time to prepare for the Championship and to do this, he has to test out all of his defensive options ahead of next season.

This includes handing Steven Sessegnon his Premier League debut on Saturday against Liverpool at Craven Cottage. The 18-year-old right-back has made three appearances for the club in cup competitions this season but has yet to start a game in England's top tier.

With Fulham extremely unlikely to pick up anything other than a heavy defeat at the weekend, there would be no risk whatsoever in playing Sessegnon as he will learn more from playing 90 minutes against the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah than he ever will from youth football.

Having represented England at numerous youth levels already during his career, it is clear that he is a promising young talent who would undoubtedly benefit significantly from experiencing what the Premier League has to offer. Even if he only features in three of four games towards the end of the season, it could be worth its weight in gold for both Fulham and Sessegnon.

His brother Ryan was handed his league debut in 2016 against Leeds United in the Championship and has not looked back since, scoring 25 goals for the club in 112 appearances.

Fulham's recent utilisation of their youth academy has seen both Olympique Lyonnais forward Moussa Dembele and Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts, who is currently on loan at La Liga side Girona, come through the ranks.

With these three examples demonstrating just how fruitful it can be to bring through your own players, Sessegnon could provide another chapter in Fulham's history of promoting home-grown talent if given the chance to feature in the club's final eight fixtures.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/fulham-parker-has-to-start-steven-sessegnon-on-saturday/

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After making €8m January offer for player, Fulham sent official to club on Thursday evening

As Fulham have once again scouted a Benfica match last night, we thought it's worth pointing out the chase which has been growing since the start of the year.

Back in January, it was claimed that the London side made a €8m bid for the Eagles right-back André Almeida. A few days later, club scouts were spotted watching him in a Portuguese league game.

And last week, we covered reports which said Fulham sent scouts to Croatia, where they watched Benfica playing Dinamo Zagreb for the Europa League.

Now, Record reports Fulham watched the second leg as well, having sent emissaries to Lisbon, where they saw the Eagles win 3-0 and get qualification for the quarter-finals.

Almeida had a hard defensive task in the first half, but ended up winning most of the challenges. In the second half, he was able to attack more, and did a good job.

Of course Fulham could have watched other players, as the match had the likes of Ferro, Grimaldo and Jonas all impressing and scoring goals.

Other Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Wolverhampton, Watford, Everton, Leicester City, Tottenham, West Ham and Newcastle all had scouts at this match as well.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/making-e8m-january-offer-player-fulham-sent-official-club-thursday-evening/

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Fulham v Liverpool: The Big Match Preview

THERE'S nothing quite like a win.

There's nothing quite like a big win.

There's nothing like a big away win, against a massive side, in peak form, where you control the game so comprehensively that it makes anything and everything seem possible again. Liverpool are basking just right now, Liverpool are bathing in glory, Liverpool have the sun on their backs again.

Beating Bayern Munich in the Allianz was a result of epoch-defining importance. Well, it has the potential to be. If The Reds allow Fulham to find a way from stopping them winning this weekend then we all won't look so clever. But let's not even entertain that possibility because this is a time to be a Liverpool supporter and it is right that we milk and savour every moment.

I didn't get much done on Thursday. I was too embroiled in watching reruns of Sadio Mane's goal from every conceivable angle. I watched and rewatched every post-match interview. I gorged on the gushing punditry. Much as the story of this campaign has been about our very real tilt at the league title, it is performances in the European Cup which still appear to define us.

There has been much talk of it being better to gracefully exit the European stage and leave greater capacity for the push to win the league, and there is sound logic to that argument. Yet only in the glorious aftermath of nights like Wednesday night can we truly appreciate how ultimately flawed that assessment is.

Liverpool will go to Craven Cottage as one of the most confident Liverpool teams in modern history. You would have to go back 10 years, to the week Liverpool went to Manchester United brimming with a self belief empowered by a 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid, to find a near parallel.

Before then, I don't know when we're talking about the same phenomenon. It's not that Liverpool simply got a big result in Germany – we've had few of them down the years – it was the manner of victory.

In Munich they will talk about the Liverpool side that rocked up and taught them how to play football for years, maybe decades to come. We remember the great sides that blew our minds. Cruyff and Ajax in the 1970s, that Barca team and that Overmars goal, Rafa's Valencia, Ronaldo's Real Madrid at Anfield in 2014.

Those nights when we knew we were in the presence of greatness and that we had to take the pain and just admire the craftsmen demolishing our beloved team. Now we are beginning to look like those special once-in-a-generation teams. Now it's our turn.

Ordinarily we'd worry about the legs of lads who ran themselves into the ground in our cause. But, such was the nature of Wednesday's victory, that adrenalin and belief should be ample to power Liverpool through a final 90 minutes before the international break.

Jürgen Klopp has some injury concerns but they are in midfield where the squad is best stocked. Our captain Jordan Henderson limped out of the action early in Munich with an ankle problem. Naby Keita also apparently has a "minor injury".

Last weekend at home to Burnley, Adam Lallana earned a surprise start after impressing his manager the previous week in training. He will have accepted being dropped back to the bench in midweek but might expect a recall for the trip to West London. Fulham have lost their last six matches and are hurtling towards relegation. Klopp will treat this fixture as if it was a home game, and to that end will look to start with four attacking players.

Lallana's main rival for that fourth attacking berth will be Xherdan Shaqiri who was yet to start a game in 2019. His Liverpool career seemed to have really taken off when he bagged two goals against Manchester United in December and he would never have dreamed then just how significantly his progress would stagnate.

Shaqiri has always come across as a naturally confident player though, and Jürgen Klopp would trust him to produce a performance should he decide to unleash him after his relatively lengthy hiatus.

Liverpool's front three combined to stunning effect in Munich and the Liverpool manager will be inclined to let them go once more knowing that something of a rest awaits them during international fortnight (Mo Salah has already been exempted from duty by the Egyptian coach). Should Klopp look to freshen for the sake of it, Divock Origi might again deputise for Roberto Firming.

At the back Liverpool are likely to remain unchanged although there will be a temptation to give Dejan Lovren some minutes to rehabilitate him in the team, post injury.

Fulham are on their third manager of a disastrous campaign and the latest incumbent, caretaker coach Scott Parker, will hope that he gets the proverbial "bounce" that most new managers enjoy at some point. He's only been in charge for two games so far and presided over two defeats. No bounce, just business as usual at The Cottage.

Parker's challenge in facing up to Liverpool's visit will be whether or not to try and frustrate an awesome opponent or just go for broke and gamble. Draws and narrow defeats are of zero use to Fulham right now. They need wins and only wins.

Parker may, though, have his eye on preserving dignity rather than chasing rainbow wins. The new boss will know that the game is virtually up and that he is better served being seen to restore some pride. How he convinces his players to buy into such an abstract objective is a more complex ask.

For The Reds it's a case of let's get our heads out of the clouds and down to the task at hand. We would go top of the league by beating Fulham (albeit City would have a game in hand). It's an opportunity we cannot afford to squander.

It's the place we've deserved to be.

Predicted 11: Alisson; Trent, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Salah, Firmino, Mane

Kick off: 2.15pm, Sunday

Referee: Craig Pawson

Odds by Redsbet: Fulham 21-2, Draw 21-4, Liverpool 1-4



https://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2019/03/fulham-liverpool-preview/

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Liverpool Forward Mo Salah Could Equal Three Year Old Goal Drought Against Fulham

Mo Salah has been incredible for Liverpool since he signed from Roma, 18 months ago. Since then he has hit 49 goals for the Reds, some of them in vital scenarios and exceeded any expectations the fans had of him when he came to Anfield.

However, in recent weeks, Salah has gone off the ball slightly. Last season, we saw a composed and quick-thinking finisher when through on goal however this season it seems the Egyptian is taking too much time in front of goal and has been caught dallying too many times in recent weeks.

Sadio Mane is one man who has really stepped to the fore in during Mo Salah's goal-scoring drought. He bagged a brace at the Allianz Arena to put Bayern Munich out of the competition and the Senegalese frontman has provided a different goal scoring option for the Reds and taken the pressure of Salah this season.

Liverpool take on Fulham in the Premier League this weekend and if Salah fails to score, he will have gone five league games without a goal or an assist, his longest drought since January 2016. That is a run that has gone one for over three years and one that Jurgen Klopp will hope will come to an end sooner rather than later.

Craven Cottage will welcome Salah and the rest of his teammates this weekend as the visitors look to head back to the top of the Premier League, with Manchester City playing in the FA Cup at Swansea this weekend. That means, Liverpool will have played a game more than their title rivals but the pressure will be all on the Citizens.

That could work well for Liverpool who would rather be putting the pressure on their rivals and playing first than the other way around. Salah, Firmino and Mane will all play vital roles up until the end of the season in the Premier League, but they will also play a huge part in Liverpool's success in the Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp's men have received a lucky draw at the quarter-finals, coming up against Porto, arguably the weakest team left in the competition. If you compare that to the other ties, Man City v Spurs, Man Utd v Barca and Ajax v Juventus, you would have to say Liverpool should make it through to the last four once again.

This has the makings of being an iconic season for Liverpool, but Salah must find his feet in front of goal and they must keep their heads when the pressure is really on. If the Egyptian starts hitting the net once more, they could complete an iconic double.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/liverpool-forward-mo-salah-could-equal-three-year-old-goal-drought-against-fulham

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Seven Fulham and Huddersfield players too good to go down – and the Premier League clubs they could join

Time is clearly against Fulham and Huddersfield Town, the two sides currently propping up the rest of the Premier League.

The top-flight's bottom two are 13 and 16 points adrift of survival respectively, and their fate will be sealed in no time at all unless they start winning games.

Alas, Fulham and Huddersfield will almost certainly be playing in the Championship next season. But that doesn't mean all of their current players will be leaving the top-flight.

We've picked out four Fulham players and three Huddersfield players who could make an instant return to the Premier League and suggested the clubs that might be keen on signing them.

Huddersfield
Terence Kongolo
Position: Centre-back/left-back
Club he should join: Newcastle United

After a successful loan spell in the second half of last season, Terence Kongolo made his move from Monaco to Huddersfield permanent last summer. He became the club's record signing, costing a reported £17.5m plus add-ons.

This season has been a struggle for the entire Huddersfield defence. Kongolo started on the left of a back three but has played in a centre-back pairing lately, as well as stepping in at left-back when necessary. The change of manager and positional uncertainty has contributed to an inconsistent campaign for Kongolo, but he is still the player Huddersfield broke their transfer record to sign last June.

With that in mind, Newcastle United would be wise to take a punt. They could probably sign the Dutchman for less than Huddersfield paid, and his versatility makes him ideal for a team that has switched to a back three this term. Kongolo would be an ideal squad option, keeping the current centre-backs on their toes.

Aaron Mooy
Position: Central midfield
Club he should join: Leicester City

Aaron Mooy was the best player in the Championship when Huddersfield were promoted to the Premier League in 2016/17. He was also instrumental in helping the Terriers remain in the top-flight last season, and Huddersfield's best moments this term have revolved around him – the Australian scored twice in a 2-0 win at Wolves, easily Town's best result of the season.

Those remain Mooy's only two goals in 2018/19, but he might have scored more had he not suffered a knee injury in December that kept him out for 10 games. That Mooy-less period ended up destroying Huddersfield's survival hopes.

If Leicester are unable to complete a permanent deal for on-loan midfielder Youri Tielemans this summer, Mooy would be the ideal alternative. The 28-year-old will soon have just one year left on his contract – although there is a club option to extend by a year – so Huddersfield may be forced to sell the man who has created more chances per 90 league minutes (1.67) than any other Town player with over five appearances this season.

Philip Billing
Position: Central midfield
Club he should join: Everton

Philip Billing has certainly caught the eye of the statisticians this season. He has won more duels per 90 league minutes (8.69) than any other Huddersfield midfielder, while only Aaron Mooy has made more tackles per 90 (1.87 to Billing's 1.8).

The Dane has sometimes been accused of not caring enough on the pitch, but that's more a result of his ultra-composed gait than anything else. He clearly has a very high ceiling and there is a feeling he simply needs a move to fulfil his potential.

That's where Everton could come in. It's difficult to tell whether Billing could one day play for a top-six side – Tottenham have been linked in the past – so Everton would be an ideal next step for the 22-year-old to test himself at a higher, but not too high, level. Huddersfield's relegation could make Billing an inexpensive option for an Everton side that needs reinforcements.

Fulham
Jean Michael Seri
Position: Central midfield
Club he should join: West Ham United

Having once come close to joining Barcelona, Jean Michael Seri's arrival at Fulham looked like a real coup when the deal went through last summer. But because of Fulham's struggles, it's been difficult to tell whether Seri is a top-level midfielder forced to endure playing with sub-standard teammates, or he simply belongs at his current level.

Regardless, a Premier League side is likely to take a risk in the upcoming transfer window. Seri's best moment for Fulham was a Goal of the Month-winning strike against Burnley way back in August. It was a sign of what the 27-year-old is capable of, though it remains his only goal for the Cottagers.

He may be tempted by the chance to stay in London if West Ham becomes an option. With Declan Rice protecting the back four, Seri would have more leeway to showcase his box-to-box attributes without the threat of relegation looming. The Ivorian has created more chances per 90 league minutes (2.34) than any other Fulham player this term, and West Ham could do with some creativity in midfield.

Ryan Sessegnon
Position: Left-back\winger
Club he should join: Tottenham Hotspur

Ryan Sessegnon was tipped to be the next big thing in English football before he even dipped his toes into the Premier League. That pressure may be playing a part in a difficult debut season in the top-flight for the talented teenager, who has been in and out of the team throughout the campaign.

With five assists in 27 appearances, though, he has been one of Fulham's most productive players. Like Huddersfield's Billing, there is obvious potential here and Sessegnon may have actually hindered his development by staying at Fulham, where he will have thought first-team football was a guarantee.

Perhaps he should have joined one of his suitors last summer. Spurs were said to be interested at the time and could be again come the end of the season. The 18-year-old's price tag may have fallen after a difficult year, and Mauricio Pochettino will surely be eager to work with more young, English talent – it's his speciality, after all.

Aleksandar Mitrovic
Position: Striker
Club he should join: Crystal Palace

With one goal in every three games for a struggling side, Aleksandar Mitrovic has definitely done enough to earn a move back to the Premier League once Fulham's fate is sealed. The Serbian was too good for the Championship during a loan spell at Craven Cottage in 2017/18 and should return to the top-flight this summer.

His 10 goals have ultimately separated Fulham and Huddersfield; the Londoners might have been bottom if not for Mitrovic. As a result, a number of mid-table Premier League clubs will be clambering to sign the 24-year-old at the end of the season.

Crystal Palace could be an appropriate destination. Christian Benteke's dreadful goal return is likely to result in the Belgian's departure, while there is no guarantee Michy Batshuayi will be signing on a permanent basis. If Palace can get deals done for Batshuayi and Mitrovic, their strike force will be the envy of the Premier League's bottom half.

Tom Cairney
Position: Central midfield
Club he should join: Bournemouth

Tom Cairney was instrumental during Fulham's promotion to the Premier League, captaining the side and scoring the winning goal in the play-off final against Aston Villa. Hopes were high for the midfielder going into his first top-flight season, but an early injury and the struggle for consistency has curtailed his progress.

At the end of the season, the 28-year-old will have a choice to make. Either he will stay with Fulham and attempt to lead them back to the Premier League, or he could fish around for top-flight takers – if, of course, there are any.

Clubs were surely keen on Cairney when he was lighting up the Championship, so a mid-table manager may take advantage of Fulham's relegation by making a move this summer. Perhaps Eddie Howe will see Cairney's technical ability as an astute addition to his squad. After all, no player has produced more passes ending in the final third (17.73) per 90 league minutes for Fulham this term.



Read more at http://www.squawka.com/en/news/seven-fulham-and-huddersfield-players-too-good-to-go-down-and-the-premier-league-clubs-they-could-join/1086714#Z7Uh43yOlLX1dW4m.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Henderson ruled out of clash v Fulham

Jordan Henderson has been ruled out of Liverpool's Premier League clash against Fulham on Sunday and may be out until the end of the month.

Jurgen Klopp confirmed at his media conference on Friday, as quoted by the Echo live blog (10.32am), that the central midfielder won't play at Craven Cottage and is likely to miss England's Euro 2020 qualifiers during the forthcoming international break.

Henderson suffered an ankle injury early in Wednesday's Champions League triumph against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
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"With Hendo we don't know – it's serious enough to rule him out for the weekend," Klopp said. "The international break will hopefully be long enough to bring him back.

"It is to do with his ankle. It's the best it can be but still not good enough, it's okay though."

OPINION

This is a major blow for Liverpool. Henderson divides opinion among Reds fans, partly because he is a midfield anchorman who's main job is to close opponents down, win the ball and give it to someone more talented, but no-one can question his commitment to the cause or desire to do what's best for the team. He also has the complete faith and trust of Klopp, who has omitted Henderson on plenty of occasions this season, but still turns to him for the biggest matches against marquee opposition. That was the same on Wednesday, when Henderson, who had been man-of-the-match in the first leg, got the nod ahead of the likes of Fabinho and Adam Lallana to start alongside Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner in midfield. Henderson's night ended early against Bayern, but he would have expected to start at Craven Cottage against the Premier League's bottom club this weekend if given a clean bill of health.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2019/03/blogs/premier-league/henderson-ruled-out-of-clash-v-fulham/

[gang]

All the reasons Liverpool can't wait to finish off Fulham...

Fulham grudge
Can I just go on record to state that I would rather seen United win than Fulham and I genuinely hope we stuff 'em this weekend. I'll be singing "going down" with gusto as I stand in the Putney End. Remember, this is a club and set of fans who supported a known paedophile – even erected a f*cking statue of him in their ground

There's plenty of things to dislike – Wetched Woy, Paul F*cking Konchesky, sh*t ground and more recently that stupid programme article which was as funny as syphilis.

I hope they never darken the Premier League again.
Gregory Whitehead, LFC



https://www.football365.com/news/all-the-reasons-liverpool-can-wait-to-finish-off-fulham
[/

What a sad individual, I was hoping Liverpool would win the league until I read this.
Sh*t for brains Scouse git.

[WhiteJC]

 
What Scott Parker changed about Fulham's mindset after taking charge at Craven Cottage

The caretaker says he is already seeing improvements 'ten-fold' after taking charge last month

Scott Parker has revealed how changing the mindset and focus at Fulham has resulted in increasing the players' standards 'ten-fold' from what they have been this season.

The caretaker boss has only been in charge for two games but there was a marked improvement in the 2-1 loss to Chelsea in his first match, while the second half against Leicester City was a strong performance.

The message from Parker so far has been simple - reconnect with the fans and give them performances they can be proud of, and so far the Fulham players seem to be doing that under their new manager.

Parker always said he thought he would get a response from his players immediately, but how he thought that has always been a bit of mystery, but ahead of the Liverpool game on Sunday he's revealed that a change in the mindset of the club has gone a long way to improving the players.

Under Claudio Ranieri that mindset was the sole focus of staying up, but Parker saw that wasn't working with this group of players and has changed that and tried to take the pressure off instead.

He said: "We've seen a big upturn daily in the players in the way they're training and I believe their standards have gone up ten fold.

"I've been in this position as a player where you have the doubts sometimes, but the message stays the same, if we play the way we want we can cause an upset and we can get points.

"It's a number of factors. When you are at the bottom of the league and managers change, confidence is a huge thing.

"When I took over from Claudio, the squad was where it was. We'd come off the back of some bad results. I certainly tried to take that pressure off, we were solely concentrating on 'We need to stay up, we need to stay up' and trying to change that mindset in the sense of what the focus is.

"The focus was "you need to win football matches, we need to stay up" and it wasn't working so we need to try to change that a bit. Drive up standards every day and I feel like we did that. It was always going to happen.

"There are different elements, but nothing what the boys have not been used to under previous managers. There are some more bits with a lot of detail going in but the lads have been first-class to be fair, they have done really well."

Parker wants to rebuild the disconnect between the club and fans after a horrendous season that looks set to end in relegation from the Premier League and has already gone about fixing that.

It was one of the main factors he noticed as first team coach at Fulham this season as he watched events unfold from the sidelines, and while he knows the side will lose more games between now and the season's end, he thinks there's a right way to lose in order to keep fans onside.

He added: "I think the biggest thing was the fans, really. I think at times, certainly, this year I have felt a distance from the fans, certainly between the team and the fans, and that was down to us as a team and the performance we were giving the fans.

"Two weeks ago that was the biggest thing to me – trying to get the fans back, how important they are to us, certainly the position we are in.

"In a team coming from the Championship and fighting in the hardest and toughest league in the world we were always going to need them behind us and that has not changed.

"It is just giving them something to go away with and feel proud about their team, win or lose, that was the most key thing to me.

"We are two games down since I've been in charge. The Chelsea game was positive, it was a positive performance.

"For me, there is a way to lose football matches and Chelsea was a prime example. We lost the match but the lads got clapped off, so there is a way to lose football matches and that is a given for us and that is where we need to stay.

"For fans spending their money and coming to watch us I think you understand in this league you can lose and you can get relegated from this division if you're Fulham but there is a way to lose."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/what-scott-parker-changed-fulhams-15981862

[WhiteJC]

 
Opposition Camp

Jürgen Klopp will be giving Fulham plenty of respect when he brings his Liverpool side to Craven Cottage.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, the Reds boss knows Sunday is no foregone conclusion, despite their impressive victory over Bayern Munich in midweek.

"I know my boys now three-and-a-half years and I would say it is tricky in itself because it's Fulham. I know what you probably expect but we know about that and it's nothing to do with the Champions League game on Wednesday.

"It is just a very important game for us. We don't think about the situation in the table or whatever, we are only focused on our situation.

"But we know how difficult it is – we only have to take our game against Fulham at home: we needed a genius moment from Ali [Becker], Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Mo [Salah] to win that game.

"It is difficult, but we have to see it as an opportunity because it is the next game we play and a very important one. Fulham have had a difficult season obviously, but since Scott [Parker] is in you can see the change, it is really kind of a breath of fresh air.

"They lost the two games, against Chelsea which is a difficult one for all teams in the league obviously, and Leicester with a new manager there. But they were pretty impressive.

"That's all in our books, that's all we know of that and now we have to make sure that we are really spot on from the first second and hopefully we can win that game."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/march/16/opposition-camp

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham have one huge weakness - so Liverpool could run riot at Craven Cottage

David Hughes takes an in-depth look at how Liverpool can exploit Fulgam's weaknesses to move back top of the Premier League on Sunday

Liverpool head to Craven Cottage this weekend to take on Fulham as they look to heap more pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City.

The Red's North West rivals hold a slender a one-point lead at the top of the Premier League table but aren't in Premier League action this weekend as they face Swansea City in the FA Cup.

This means Liverpool have the opportunity to go two points clear at the top of the league, for the time being at least.

However to do so, they must first bypass a struggling Fulham side. The Cottagers are on a run of six straight league defeats, which equals a Premier League record of consecutive defeats and they have conceded an average of 2.5 goals per game in those six matches.

In Liverpool, they face the second-best attack in the league. Ironically in 68, the Reds have scored the exact same number of goals that Fulham have conceded, which happens to be 11 more than any other top-flight side this season.

Therefore on paper this should be a demolition job for Jurgen Klopp's men and a perfect opportunity for Liverpool to close the seven goal gap on Man City.

Yet, ahead of their fixture against Chelsea, Fulham relieved Claudio Ranieri of his managerial duties and installed Scott Parker as interim manager.

In his two games in charge, Parker has fluctuated between a 4-1-4-1 to a 4-2-3-1 formation, bringing exciting youngster Ryan Sessegnon back into the starting line-up. He's also reverted with the players who were instrumental in their promotion success last season.

Despite two further defeats, it has led to a more connected team performance overall.

Against Chelsea there were much more compact and assured in their defensive structure. When compared to their season average, there was reductions for Expected Goals conceded (xGC) , shots on their goal, as well as increases on their season average for defensive duels.

The same can't be said for their following fixture away at Leicester. Although unlucky to ship three goals considering their xGC was just 1.8, the facts remain they have now conceded two or more goals in each of their last 10 league matches.

The biggest issue for Fulham at Leicester, and potentially somewhere Liverpool can benefit, was their own errors in defence.

Leicester were happy to set-up in a mid-block and let Fulham's defenders bring the ball forward, looking to cut out their passing lanes.

Fulham didn't display the passing capabilities to play through the Foxes, as a result when the ball is played forward into the midfielder, they are vulnerable.


Fulham try to play out from the back

As the ball goes into Fulham's Kevin McDonald, Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi is quick to close the ball down and win possession. From there he thread's Jamie Vardy through on goal in a passage of play that leads to the first goal of the game.


Fulham lose possession in a dangerous position

With just 12 minutes of the match remaining, Fulham were on course to pick up a hard-earned point. But they don't learn from their errors and are punished again whilst in possession for Leicester's second goal of the game.

Leicester setup again in the same structure allowing Fulham possession of the ball at the back. Again, as they attempt to play forward through the lines, the pass is loose and easily intercepted by James Maddison.


Fulham get caught playing the ball out from the back

From there Maddison is able to play a well weighted ball to Vardy who is able to run in on goal and grab their second of the game.


Maddison plays the ball through to Vardy

Liverpool's pressing abilities through the likes of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah should present plenty of opportunities for Klopp's men to punish any lacklustre passing out from the back.

With so much on the line, Liverpool can't afford anything but a win. However, as can been seen from the above, Liverpool should be presented plenty of opportunities to seal an important three points.



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fulham-premier-league-15981342

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham manager Scott Parker on effect of abuse after telling Ryan Sessegnon to avoid social media

Fulham boss Scott Parker has told Sky Sports how players are "vulnerable" to abuse after asking Ryan Sessegnon to ignore social media.

The temporary boss, who has taken on his first management role with the Cottagers at the age of 38, has plenty on his plate - keeping the club in the Premier League despite inheriting a squad 10 points from safety.

But improving the atmosphere around the club was always going to involve more than a simple tactical switch, or a change in personnel.

Some of the club's brightest prospects had been underperforming all season, including Ryan Sessegnon, who scored 15 Championship goals last season at the age of just 17 but has netted just twice since promotion.

Last week, Parker took to the media to defend Sessegnon and backed him to improve in a bid to boost his confidence - and said the negativity of social media had "definitely" played its part in his difficult season.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's game with Liverpool, live on Sky Sports, Parker opened up on how difficult he believes it can be for players to shake off internet abuse - and how he had advised Sessegnon to get through it.

He said: "I feel like I can give advice on it because when I was dealing with it, it was on a Sunday morning in the press, in a paper, and it was the same in that someone would write something and have an opinion.

"That's the world we're in and I see that as part of it, of course, but certainly that has now intensified to where everyone has got an opinion, it's there for everyone to see and when you are in the spotlight and you're striving to be a top Premier League footballer like Ryan is and like lots of players are, you can't hide from that.

"I'm just saying it's wrong, you just have to work out mechanisms to adapt to it and not let it affect you. The point I make about Ryan is, as a young boy when you're just trying to learn your trade, you're trying to work out yourself at times, that extra pressure from outside sources can have a big effect.

"I've just tried to explain to him about to work out strategies to try and cope with that.

"I think it has a massive impact and, ultimately, we're human. I've got a thick skin, I think I've got that from 20 years of being in this profession but I'm still vulnerable at times. I'm vulnerable at 38 years of age when I've seen it all and I've read it all about me, the negativity around it."

Fulham take on Liverpool at Craven Cottage on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, looking to pick up just a fifth league win of the season to keep their slim hopes of survival alive.

Parker is backing his side to have the ability to cause an upset in the title race while dragging themselves closer to avoiding the drop, but is determined to instil excitement, over fear, in his ailing side for the visit of Liverpool, fresh from an impressive win over Bayern Munich in their last away trip.

He said: "It's going to be a massive test for us. They don't come any harder than a team that is fighting at the right end of the table for the championship with a fantastic manager, individual players and as a team as well. They're going to cause us a lot of problems but, I'll say it again, games like this are what these boys, only nine months ago at Wembley, battled through a hard Championship season to play in.

"It has been a tough season, of course it has, but Liverpool at home, Man City to follow, as a footballer, they're the games you want to play in. Is there fear a bit? I'm sure there is but there should also be excitement, real excitement to go and play against the best and prove your worth.

"I'm not stupid, we need to get some results on the board. I said when I was appointed, I will treat this as a long-term job. Everything I do will be for the long term, there is no short fixes and that is the cold reality of it.

"Can we raise standards? Can we raise quality? Can we bring a belief back here which not only the players believe but the fans believe and the staff believe - and bring a bit of an identity back.

"I think after eight games, if I can do that, whether I'm here or I'm not here, I'll be extremely happy."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11666794/fulham-manager-scott-parker-on-effect-of-abuse-after-telling-ryan-sessegnon-to-avoid-social-media